I.  Expectation

1. Immense amount of reading and writing throughout the year to build content, skills, and historiography abilities.

2. The book has been broken down into units of study (see below).  Each unit has an assignment packet that is to be turned in at the completion of the unit (the first day of testing) and is found on my website.  The assignment packet consists of numerous questions, Supreme Court Analysis Sheets, H-O-H, Mini H-O-H, Historiographies, Document Analysis Sheets, and various printable worksheets.

3. Each unit is followed by two days of testing – either multiple choice, 35-35 essays, or the DBQ essay. Absence from tests is simply not allowed.

II.  AP United States Units

AP American History

First Semester

August 11-August 29

Unit 1 Colonial America 1492-1775
American Pageant: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Themes:

1. People leave Europe for New World for a variety of reasons
2. The success of Europeans in the New World spells disaster for most Native Americans
3. Shaped by their experiences in the New World, colonists begin to develop new ways of life

Content:

1. Similarities and Differences between Native American Tribes.
2. Changes that brought about the Age of Discovery.
3. Comparing Voyages of Exploration.
4. Differences between Spanish, French and English colonization of the New World.
5. Evaluate Evidence “The settlement of Jamestown.”
6. Similarities and Differences between Pilgrims and Puritans.
7. Social Mobility in the English colonies.
8. Finding the Main point of an argument.

Assignments - Unit 1 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H “ Salem Witchcraft Trials”
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History (Vol.1)
   (Handouts)
   Volume 1, Part 1 Documents 5 and 11
   Volume 1, Part 2 Documents 3 and 9
   Volume 1, Part 3 Document 8
   Volume 1, Part 4 Document 12
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 6, please
3. After the Fact: “Serving Time in Virginia”
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Unit 1 – Thursday, August 25
2. DBQ Test – Unit 1 – Friday, August 26
3. Unit 1 Packet – Monday, August 29

August 30 – September 9

Unit 2 America’s Revolution 1763-1783
American Pageant: Chapters 6, 7, and 8

Themes:

1.       The British have trouble subduing the colonies because of the colonies’ variety and lack of a critical center.

2.       How revolutionary was the American Revolution? Conservative or Radical.

Content:

1. Recognizing Cause and Effect, “The French and Indian War.”
2. Evaluate Evidence - Who caused the American Revolution – the British or the colonists?
3. Summarize the principals of the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.
4. Identify and describe the major events of the American Revolution.
5. List the basic principals reflected in the first state constitutions and explain the importance of written constitutions to Americans.
6. Identify and evaluate the successes of the Second Continental Congress.
7. List the accomplishments and failures of the Articles of Confederation.
8. Describe the major compromise in the writing the Constitution.
9. List the arguments for and against the new Constitution and explain why the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.
10. Compare Federalists and Anti-Federalist.

Assignments - Unit 2 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "Comparing the Articles of Confederation with the U. S. Constitution."
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History
   Volume 2, Part 1 Documents 1,4,6,11,13, and 14
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 6, please
3. After the Fact: “Declaring Independence”
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. DBQ Test – Unit 2 – Thursday, September 8
2. Multiple Choice Test – Unit 2 – Friday, September 9
3. Unit 2 Packet – Friday, September 9

September 10 – September 23

Unit 3 Creating a New Nation 1776-1800
American Pageant: Chapters 9 and 10

Themes:

1. The states’ desire for self rule and their fear of tyranny result in a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation.
2. The drafting and the ratification of a new constitution begin the process of binding Americans together into one nation.

Content:

1.       List the basic principals reflected in the first state constitutions and explain the importance of written constitutions to  Americans.

2.       Identify and evaluate the successes of the Second Continental Congress.

3.       List the accomplishments and failures of the Articles of Confederation.

4.       Describe the major compromise in the writing the Constitution.

5.       List the arguments for and against the new Constitution and explain why the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.

6.       Compare Federalists and Anti-Federalist.

7.       Describe the geography of the United States in the 1790s and compare European and American social classes and social mobility at that time.

8.       Describe the presidency of George Washington and compare the ideas of the nation’s first two political parties.

9.       Explain the contribution Alexander Hamilton made to national development as first Secretary of the Treasury and summarize his economic views.

10.    Identify the major developments in foreign affairs during Washington’s second term and explain how those affected domestic events.

11.    Appreciate the differences between the French and American Revolutions.

12.    State the causes and outcome of the Whiskey Rebellion.

13.    Explain the motives for passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

14.    Discuss provocations of the French government that led America to the brink of war with France.

Assignments - Unit 3 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "The United States Constitution."
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History
   Volume 2, Part 2 Documents 2, 6 and 8
   Volume 2, Part 3 Documents 2, 4, 5 and 8
   Volume 2, Part 4 Document 3
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 8, please

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Thursday, September 22
2. DBQ – Friday, September 23
3. Packet - Thursday, September 22

September 24 – October 5

Unit 4 A Growing Democracy 1800-1824
American Pageant: Chapters 11 and 12

Themes:

1. The nation discovers new ways to grow.
2. The nation’s growth is marked by the rise of two opposing forces: nationalism and sectionalism.

Content:

1. Compare the political philosophies of Jefferson and Hamilton
2. Discuss the reasons Jefferson decided to purchase Louisiana despite his philosophical opposition to the purchase.
3. State the principal of judicial review derived from Marbury v. Madison, and discuss John Marshall’s role in establishing it.
4. Identify the factors that influenced the foreign trade of the United States from 1800-1820.
5. Explain the history of United States exports and imports from 1790 to 1820.
6. Identify the causes of, objections to, and course of, the War of 1812.
7. Cite the reasons for the growth of nationalism and sectionalism under Presidents Madison and Monroe.
8. Explain the Missouri Compromise was only a temporary solution to the issue of balance between slave and free states.
9. State the four principals that make up the Monroe Doctrine and explain its significance.
10. Explain the historical situations in Europe and Latin America at the time of the Monroe Doctrine.
11. Describe the national spirit that flourished in the 1820s and give examples of its manifdestations.

Assignments – Unit 4 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Marbury v. Madison (1803); Fletcher v. Peck (1810); Dartmouth College v. Woodward  (1819); McCulloch v. Maryland (1819); Cohens v. Virginia (1821); Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History,  Volume 2, Part 3 and 4
3. Documents 10 and 12
   Volume 2, Part 4 Documents 4, 7, 8, 10
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 6, please

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Wednesday, October 4
2. 35-35 Essays – Thursday, October 5
3. Packet - Wednesday, October 4

October 6 – October 21

Unit 5 The Age of Jackson 1824-1840
American Pageant: Chapters 13 and 14

Themes:

1. The nation’s political process becomes more democratic.
2. The “Common Man” emerges in American politics.

Content:

1. Describe the election of 1824 and evaluate the presidency of John Quincy Adams.
2. Show how the presidential candidates of 1824 reflected sectional interests.
3. Describe how voting and national politics changed during the 1820s.
4. Describe the new politician using Jackson as an example.
5. Discuss the origins, advantages, and disadvantages of the spoils system.
6. Cite the major issues of Jackson’s first administration
7. Demonstrate how tariffs provide advantages to some and disadvantages to others.
8. Explain why Jackson attacked the Bank of the United States and describe the results of his economic policy.
9. Discuss economic conditions in the United States in 1830.

Assignments - Unit 5 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."   Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1830); Worcester v. Georgia (1831); Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842); Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge  (1837);
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History, Volume 2, Part 5
3. Documents 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 6, please
4. After the Fact: “ Jackson’s Frontier – and Turner’s”
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Thursday, October 20
2. Packet - Thursday, October 20
3. DBQ – Friday, October 21

October 22 – November 4

Unit 6 Antebellum America 1790-1860
American Pageant: Chapters 15, 16, and 17

Themes:

1. The development of new transportation and communication systems draws Americans closer together.

Content:

1. Demonstrate how transportation and communication improved during the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States.
2. Define “Industrial Revolution,” identify its dates in the United States, and describe its impact on the nation.
3. Explain the chief reasons for pre-Civil War immigration, and identify some contributions of Irish and German immigrants.
4. Describe the cities built west of the Appalachian Mountains between 1815 and 1850.
5. Describe the life and treatment of slaves in the South and compare the northern and southern viewpoints on slavery.
6. Describe religious trends before the Civil War and identify the characteristics and leaders pf pre-Civil War reform movements.
7. Trace the development of the abolition movement in the North and describe the reaction to abolition in the South.

Assignments - Unit 6 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H: “Women and Antebellum Reform”
2. H-O-H: “The Southern View of Slavery”
3. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History, Volume 2, Part 6
4. Documents 1, 2, and 3
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 3, please
5. After the Fact: “The Invisible Pioneers”
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. 35-35 Essays – Friday, November 4
2. Packet - Thursday, November 3
3. Multiple Choice Test – Friday, November 3

November 5 – November 21

Unit 7 Divided America 1841-1877
American Pageant: Chapters 18-20

Themes:

1. The growth of reform movements and the surge of western expansion forces the nation to face the slavery issue.
2. The rise of sectionalism and the causes of the Civil War.

Content:

1. Describe how Americans settled in Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, and California and locate the routes to the various Western settlements.
2. Trace the course of Texas’s progress from Mexican state to one of the United States.
3. Explain the significance of the siege of the Alamo and the massacre at Goliad in Texas’s struggle for independence.
4. State the immediate reasons for war with Mexico in 1846, describe the course of the war, and state the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Gadsden Purchase.
5. Explain how the Compromise of 1850 settled the slavery issue only temporarily.
6. Identify three positions on the issue of the extension of slavery.
7. Identify the major events of the 1850s that increased tensions between the North and the South.
8. Explain the similarities and differences among the elections of 1848, 1852, and 1856.
9. Cite four events that occurred between 1856-1861 that increased hostility between North and South.
10. Explain the importance of the Republican Party in the election of 1856.
11. Explain the importance of the election of 1860.
12. Describe in detail the factors which contributed to Lincoln’s victory in the election.

Assignments - Unit 7 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H:  "Causes of the Mexican War."  
2. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
3. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History, Volume 2, Part 6
4. Documents 7, 9, 11, 12 and 13
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 5, please
5. After the Fact: “The Madness of John Brown”
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. DBQ – Friday, November 18
2. Packet – Wednesday,  November 21
3. Multiple Choice Test – Monday, November 21

November 22 – December 12

Unit 8 Civil War & Reconstruction 1861-1877

American Pageant: Chapters  21-23

Themes:

1. The Civil War becomes a fight over the legitimacy of the institution of slavery.
2. Lincoln’s assassination dashes whatever chance the nation has of solving post-Civil War  problems “with charity for all.”

Content:

1. List the military and economic advantages and disadvantages OF THE Union and the Confederacy and describe several changes in warfare that developed during the Civil War.
2. Examine Lincoln’s motives is delaying the emancipation of the slaves in the border states.
3. Identify and describe the major events of the first year of the Civil War.
4. Explain the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the North, the South, and Europe; and describe the contributions of African Americans to the war.
5. Describe the major events of the least years of the Civil War and explain the terms given by Grant to Lee.
6. Explain the ideas and values contained in the Gettysburg Address.
7. Discuss the geography at the Battle of Gettysburg and explain the role it played in the Union victory.
8. Compare Lincoln’s plan for reuniting the nation after the Civil War to the Wade-Davis plan.
9. Tell the circumstances of Lincoln’s assassination.
10. Explain why President Andrew Johnson was unsuccessful in dealing with Congress.
11. State the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment and tell how the South reacted to it.
12. Describe the activities of the Freedmen’s Bureau.
13. Analyze the myth and reality of Black Reconstruction.
14. Explain why impeachment proceeding against President Johnson took place and what their result was.

Assignments - Unit 8 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Ex parte Merriman  (1861); Ex parte Milligan  (1866)
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History, Volume 2, Part 7
3. Documents 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 7, please
4. After the Fact: The View From the Bottom Rail
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Friday, December 9
2. Packet - Friday, December 9
3. 35-35 Essays – Monday, December 12

Final Exam: December 15

Second Semester

January 5 - January 13

Unit 9 The Industrial Explosion 1869-1900

American Pageant: Chapters 24-26

Themes:

1. Immigrants from across Europe pour into the United States.
2. The rise of new cities and the growth of old cities give the nation an increasing urban character.

Content:

1. Describe the scandals and economic crises of the post-Civil War period.
2. Define racism and explain its persistence despite the freeing of the slaves and the passage of new civil rights laws, and summarize the principles of Plessy v. Ferguson.
3. Describe the growth of railroads from 1865 to 1900.
4. Explain the significance of rock oil and describe how Standard Oil became the largest oil company in the country.
5. Describe the history of petroleum imports and oil consumption in the Unites States.
6. Explain the origins and business practices of the large mail-order companies and describe the impact of the large department store on the consumer.
7. Describe the merchandising changes that occurred in American cities.
8. Describe how improvements in industrial production and efficiency changed the way factory work was organized.
9. Describe the slow growth of early labor unions and identify the role of Samuel Gompers in the labor movement.
10. Analyze the working conditions common to the 1890s and compare these with contemporary working conditions.
11. Explain the growth of American cities during the second half of the nineteenth century.
12. Discuss the typical problems and benefits posed by immigration.
13. Identify reformers prominent between 1880 and 1900 and identify the issues they sought to resolve.
14. Discuss the concept of Social Darwinism.
15. Identify liberal and conservative viewpoints on pressing social issues and their solutions.
16. Describe how educational opportunities for Americans expanded in the late 1800s.
17. Point out the significance of bridges and skyscrapers and identify James B. Eads and Roeblings.
18. Explain the purposes and characteristics of company towns and garden cities.

Assignments - Unit 9 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H: "Black Civil Rights in the Gilded Age."
2. H-O-H:  "'Robber Barons' or 'Captains of Industry?'"
3. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."   US v Reese (1875); Civil Rights Cases  (1870s-1883); Plessy v Ferguson (1896); Munn v. Illinois (1877); Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railway Co. v. Illinois (1886)
4. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History, Volume 3, Part 2
5. Documents 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 5, please

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Tuesday, January 15
2. DBQ – Wednesday, January 16
3. Packet - Tuesday, January 15

January 14 – January 24

Unit 10 Great West and the Populist Party 1865-1900
American Pageant: Chapters 27-28

Themes:

1. Increasing numbers of Americans seek new opportunities in the American West during and after the Civil War.
2.  Urban industrialization and falling farm prices lead farrners and factory workers to protest the politics and big business of the Gilded Age.

Content:

1. Trace changes in national policy towards the Indians as white settlers moved westward.
2. Describe the laws and lawmaking in western mining communities and summarize the significance of mining in our national development.
3. Identify the reasons for the long drive of the cowboy era and explain why the open range ended.
4. Discuss the daily life of the cowboy and contrast this with the romantic images of the cowboy era.
5. Describe the positive and negative aspects of homesteading on the Great Plains and explain population growth on the Plains between 1870 and 1890.
6. Summarize the consequences of the Homestead Act.
7. Identify and trusts as important political issues of the late 1800s.
8. Discuss the similarities and differences of the elections of 1884 and 1888.
9. Identify problems facing farmers, the Granger laws, and the Populist party.
10. Explain the thinking behind the Omaha Platform.
11. Name the candidates, issues, and results of the election of 1896.
12. Discuss the political, economic, and social forces at work in the United States in the 1890s.

Assignments - Unit 10 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H:  "Native Americans & the Legacy of the West."
2. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 3 Documents 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 6, please

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test - Monday, January 28
2. Packet - Monday, January 28
3. D.B.Q. - Tuesday, January 29

January 25 – February 2

Unit 11 America on the World Scene 1890-1909
American Pageant: Chapters 29 and 30

Themes:

1. The United States begins to reach outward as a result of rapid industrialization.
2. The Unites States becomes a world leader.

Content:

1. Describe how and why the United States expanded internationally from the early 1800s to 1892.
2. Discuss the response of Japan to Commodore Perry’s arrival and the opening of trade with the United States.
3. Evaluate the belief that sea power determines a nation’s strength.
4. Tell how and why the Unites States annexed Hawaii.
5. Analyze the reasons for and results of the Spanish-American War.
6. Describe the continuing involvement of the United States in the world.
7. Discuss the importance of the Panama Canal to the United States.

Assignments – Unit 11 (online)

1. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 4 Documents 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 5, please

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test - Wednesday, February 1
2. Packet - Wednesday, February 1
3. D.B.Q. - Thursday, February 2

February 3 – February 22

Unit 12 Progressivism & World War I 1901-1918
American Pageant: Chapters 31, 32, 33

Themes:

1. The Progressive Era produces significant reforms in American business ad government.
2. Unites States motives in World War I and post war agreements.

Content:

1. Describe the background, philosophy, and reform legislation of Theodore Roosevelt.
2. Define Progressives as a group and identify some reform movements of the time.
3. Discuss the working conditions of child laborers in the United States in the early 1900s.
4. Summarize the main events of the Taft administration.
5. Analyze the relations between Taft and Roosevelt and explain the political effect of their split on the 1912 election.
6. Identify the Federal Reserve Act and other reforms made under Woodrow Wilson’s administration.
7. Discuss the personal characteristics of Wilson and compare these with Teddy Roosevelt’s.
8. Explain and give examples of the Roosevelt Corollary, Taft’s “dollar diplomacy,” and Wilson’s moral foreign policy.
9. Identify the reasons why the United States entered World War I.
10. Describe trench warfare and explain how United States forces were decisive in ending the war.
11. Describe the consequences of the Industrial Revolution on World War I.
12. Identify the measures that put the United States on a wartime footing in 1917.
13. Understand why the United States Senate refused to approve the Treaty of Versailles.
14. Compare Woodrow Wilson’s performance as President with that of Theodore Roosevelt.

Assignments – Unit 12 (online)

1. HOH:  "Justification for US Involvement in World War I."
2. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."   Northern Securities Co. v. US (1904); Lochner v US (1905); Schenck v. U. S. (1919); Abrams v. U. S. (1919)
3. Hofstadter’s Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 4 Documents 6, 7, 9 and 10
   Volume 3, Part 5 Documents 1, 4, 7 and 9
   Document Analysis Sheet for all 8, please
4. After the Fact: "USDA Government Inspected"
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test - Wednesday, February 2
2. Packet - Wednesday, February 22
3. 35-35 Essay - Thursday, February 21

February 23 – March 7

Unit 13 Roaring Twenties, Depression & New Deal 1919-1938
American Pageant: Chapters 34, 35, and 36

Themes:

1. The ‘Roaring Twenties” are characterized by experimentation, great change in daily life, and booming economic growth.
2. The stock market crash of 1929 signals the end of the “Roaring Twenties” and leads many Americans to grow disillusioned with the American economic system.
3. Franklin Roosevelt’s strong leadership and New Deal programs ease the impact of the Great Depression on poverty-stricken Americans.

Content:

1. Describe and account for the fear of radicalism in the postwar United States.
2. Explain the historical background for the Immigration Act of 1924.
3. Describe the election and the administration of Warren G. Harding/
4. Name the candidates, issues and outcomes of the elections of 19224 and 1928 and show how the Coolidge administration helped business and failed to help farmers.
5. Analyze the role of religion in the election of 1928 and other American campaigns of both the 19^th and 20^th centuries.
6. Examine the changes in American society during the 1920s.
7. Explain how speculation and margin buying affected the Stock Market.
8. Explain factors that caused the collapse of the stock market and the nation’s economic.
9. Analyze the problems of income distribution in the United  States between 1928-1977.
10. Describe the events in the 1920s and early 1930s that foreshadowed the outbreak of World War II.
11. Describe the candidates, issues and outcome of the presidential election of 1932.
12. Explain the proposals that were made during the New Deal to cure the Depression.
13. Describe how Roosevelt’s administration shifted in emphasis from recovery to reform after the 1934 Congressional elections.
14. Explain the long-term effects of programs initiated during Roosevelt’s second term.
15. Discuss the history of the Social Security program in detail.
16. Evaluate the effects of the New Deal on American life.
17. Describe how the New Deal affected women, African-Americans, and farmers.
18. Give reasons for the growth of labor unions in the 1930s and compare the AFL to the CIO.

Assignments - Unit 13 (online assignments)

1. HOH:  "America in the 1920s."
2. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co. (1922); Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923); US v. Butler (1936)
3. Hofstadter's Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 6 Documents 5,7,8,10,11,14
   Document Analysis Sheets for all 6, please
4. After the Fact "Sacco & Vanzetti"
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test - Wednesday, March 7
2. Packet - Wednesday, March 7
3. D.B.Q. - Tuesday, March 6

March 8 – March 28

Unit 14 – World War 11 1933-1945
American Pageant: Chapter 37 and 38

Themes:

1. The rise of dictators and fascism in Europe threatens the peace of the entire world.
2. The allied nations triumph in a world war on two fronts, but with victory comes a host of new fears and problems.

Content:

1. List the Causes of World War II.
2. Explain the sentiment for neutrality on the part of the Unites States.
3. Define the problem of anti-Semitism in Germany and tell how the Jews were used as scapegoats.
4. Trace the spread of the war in Europe and cite FDR’s efforts to aid the Allies.
5. Analyze FDR’s “For Freedoms” speech.
6. Trace the circumstances that led to an alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union and describe the attack on Pearl Harbor.
7. Examine the effects of mobilization for war on American society.
8. Analyze the wartime increase in federal taxes.
9. Show how the fortunes of war began to favor the Allie sin 1942.
10. Describe the course of war in Europe.
11. Analyze the conference at Yalta and discuss possible alternatives to the settlement reached.
12. Describe the end of World War II and describe the cost, impact, and significance of the war.
13. Summarize the arguments for and against dropping the bomb on Japan.

Assignments - Unit 14 (online assignments)

1. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Korematsu v. US (1944)
2. Hofstadter's Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 7 Documents 1-7
   Document Analysis Sheets for all 7, please
3. After the Fact " The Decision to Drop the Bomb"
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test – Wednesday, March 28
2. Packet – Wednesday, March 28
3. D.B.Q. - Tuesday, March 27

March 29 – April 13

Unit 15 – Cold War & Eisenhower 1945-1960
American Pageant: Chapters 39 & 40

Themes:

1. Tensions between the Unites States and the Soviet Union, and the shadow of atomic weapons produce an era of “cold war.”
2. Growing demands for racial equality produces new leadership and new government policies.
3. Technological advances transform American ways of living, thinking, and doing during the Truman and Eisenhower years.

Content:

1. Cite causes of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II.
2. Analyze the origins of the Cold War and discuss which nation was more to blame for its early life.
3. Identify way in which the United States converted to peacetime.
4. Examine the value and legality of the Nuremburg Trials.
5. Identify the causes of the second “red scare” in the United States.
6. Discuss how the Korean War affected American opinion.
7. Explain arguments for and against General MacArthur’s threatened incursion into China.
8. Describe the election of 1952 and trace the United States-Soviet relations in the early 1950s.
9. Discuss the history of campaign appeals in presidential elections from 19=796 through 1952.
10. List and describe the policies of the Eisenhower administration, including its response to Senator Joseph McCarthy’s accusations about Communists in government.
11. Examine Eisenhower’s position in the political spectrum, with attention to the stances he took on specific issues.
12. Trace the achievements of the civil rights movement through the 1950s.
13. Explain the relatively slow progress achieved by blacks in fighting oppression since becoming citizens in 1868.
14. Cite some of the international events that made 1956 a difficult year and analyze actions taken by Eisenhower in each of these crises.

Assignments - nit 15 (online assignments)

1. HOH:  The 1950s:  Was It a Period of Complacency, Contentment, and Conformity?"
2. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."   Dennis et. al. v. US (1951); Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka, KS (1954)
3. Hofstadter's Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 7 Documents 8,9,11,13,15,17
   Volume 3, Part 8 Documents 1,2
   Document Analysis Sheets for all 8 please
4. After the Fact "From Rosie to Lucy"
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. 35-35 Essay Test - Thursday, April 12
2. Multiple Choice Test - Friday, April 13
3. Packet – Friday, April 13

April 14 – April 27
Unit 16 – The Sixties & Seventies 1960-1980
American Pageant: Chapters 41 & 42

Themes:

1. John F. Kennedy’s 1000 days in office bring optimism to the nation.
2. Lyndon Johnson’s strong leadership expands opportunities for all Americans while deeply dividing the country over the war in Vietnam.
3. The Watergate scandal tests the nation’s constitutional system of government and leads to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Content:

1. Describe the election of 1960 and trace the background and experience of John F. Kennedy.
2. Explain the importance of religion in presidential campaigns in this century.
3. Identify the hard lessons in foreign policy learned by President Kennedy.
4. Describe President Kennedy’s actions during the Cuban missile crisis and trace the growing United States involvement in Vietnam.
5. Describe President Kennedy’s actions during the Cuban missile crisis and trace the growing United States involvement in Vietnam.
6. Identify Kennedy’s economic and “New Frontier” policies and describe the “black revolt” of the 1960s.
7. Recount the details of President Kennedy’s assassination and public reaction to his death and evaluate the Kennedy years.
8. Give the reasons for calling Lyndon Baines Johnson a “master politicians.”
9. Discuss the issues and outcome of the presidential of 1964.
10. Define the “Great Society,” give examples of its programs, and show how its programs contributed to inflation.
11. Describe the nature of the black revolt and youth rebellion of the late 1960s.
12. Explain why the Vietnam War become our “most unpopular war.”
13. Summarize the major events of the 1968 presidential election and identify some of the controversial decisions of the Warren Court.
14. Describe how the Vietnam War ended and the impact of the Vietnam War on the nation.
15. Explain the importance of Nixon’s trip to China.
16. Trace the Watergate affair.
17. Cite the major events of the administration of Gerald Ford and describe the election of 1976.
18. Describe Carter’s difficulties as President, the energy crisis and Carter’s foreign policy decision.

Assignments - Unit 16 (online assignments)

1. H-O-H:  "America in the 1960s".
2. H-O-H:  "Watergate."
3. Worksheet:  "Supreme Court Case Analysis Sheet."  Baker v. Carr (1962); Griswold v. CT (1965); Gideon v. Wainwright (1963); Escobedo v. IL (1964); Miranda v. AZ (1966); Bakke v. Board of Regents, Univ. of CA (1978); US v. Richard Nixon (1974)
4. Hofstadter's Great Issues In American History
   Volume 3, Part 8 Documents 3, 17, 22, 23, 24
   Volume 3, Part 9 Documents 4,6,12
   Document Analysis Sheets for all 8 please
5. After the Fact "Breaking Into Watergate"
   Analysis of content and historiography (validity)

Assessment:

1. Multiple Choice Test - Thursday,  April 26
2. Packet – Thursday, April 26
3. 35-35 Essay Test - Friday,  April 27

April 28 – May 10

Unit 17 – Conservatism & the New Century 1980-Present
American Pageant: Chapters 43 & 44

Themes:

1. Congress passes legislation intended to extend equality of opportunity to all Americans.
2. Conflicts with other nations create new problems for the United States.
3. The end of the cold war brought new opportunities and new challenges for the Unites States.

Content:

1. Explain Reagan’s position on the economy
2. Summarize governmental involvement in the economy by means of its fiscal and monetary policy.
3. Describe how the economy changed in the 1980s.
4. Understand the United States role in the world during Reagan’s first term.
5. Describe the challenges of Reagan’s second term.
6. Describe the issues facing the country during the last two years of Reagan’s presidency.
7. Describe the change of events that occurred in Eastern Europe in 1989 leading to the end of the Cold War.
8. Identify three world conflicts that occurred during the Bush administration and United States response to each.
9. Describe the major events and issues during Bush’s last two years in office and during the 1992 presidential election.
10. Describe the major issues during the Clinton administration including the Lewinsky scandal.
11. Discuss the election of 2000, the candidates, issues, and result.
12. Summarize the events of 9/11 and the United States reaction.
13. Discuss the “War against Terror.”

Assignments - Unit 17 (online assignments)

Assessment:

III.  Essay Writing

A. Essay Tips

1. Stay away from superlatives...words that are in the extreme: nobody, everybody, always, never, greatest, worst, most, least, and so on.

2. Avoid being too gushy or flag waving. “....so that he could someday become the best leader of the most powerful, just nation this beautiful world has ever seen.”

3. Resist the use of clichés or trite observations. He stood up for what he believed in.....Mountain out of a molehill.....took the bull by the horns.....forgive and forget.....easier said than done, and so on.

4. Abandon the “good-bad” scale of evaluation. “It was good for the nation.” “People were happy.” “His decision was the right thing to do.”

5. Don’t use the first person singular pronoun....I (me) “I think Jackson’s effectiveness was due, in part, to his aggressive use of the veto power.”

6. Don’t introduce the introduction, the body, or the conclusion. I’ll now begin the introduction. I’d like to conclude by....

B. The Thesis Statement

YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

1. It should respond directly to the question.

2. It should respond completely to the question.

3. It should be long enough to hint at your direction yet not so long that you get confusing to yourself or the reader.

4. It will usually be one or two sentences, depending on the complexity and structure of the question.

5. It will be shaped, in large part, by the structure and instruction of the question.

6. It should not be a brief or vague sentence.

7. It should not contain superlatives or sweeping generalizations.

8. It should come at the end of your general-to-narrow introductory paragraph.....just like the prizefighter who throws a powerful punch at the end of the first round.

9. It should serve you as a road map, pointing the way to the topics you’ll cover in the next several paragraphs.

10. After you’ve written a carefully crafted thesis, re-read the question and read your thesis to see if they match. If not, rewrite the thesis.

C. Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion, usually one paragraph at the end of your essay, may restate your opinion (or thesis) and perhaps summarize the reasons that support your argument. When you write your conclusion, remember that you should compose a definite closing. Don’t leave the reader wondering if you ran out of time or ran out of things to say.

Tie all the important points together. Make a final statement about the main focus of your analysis. Give the reader something useful to think about as he or she sets down your paper.

1. The Summary Conclusion
The standard model among conclusions. Useful if you’re in a hurry or need to briefly organize the information you just shared.

2. The Clincher Conclusion
A brief, provocative couple of sentences (or a question) that require the reader to nod in agreement since he or she was just overwhelmed with your persuasive essay. (Don’t get too cute or sanctimonious.)

3. The Extra-Step Conclusion
Be careful. This one innocently builds upon your thesis to share a relevant, powerful idea without creating a topic for a whole new essay. Your revelation is acceptable if it stays within the bounds of the original thesis at the end of your first paragraph.
Remember.......

Don’t go beyond scope in your essay; especially your conclusion. It is not correct to write an essay about the Civil War and then discuss how it affects Americans today! Stay within the time periods set forth in the question.

IV.  Document Analysis Sheet (Sheet available online)

Name:
Coach Lewis
Document Analysis Sheet Today’s Date:

Title of the document:
Type of document?
Date of the document?
Author of the document?
Position or title of the author?
For what audience was this document written?

List three thoughts conveyed in the document that you think are important:

Why do you think this document was written?

List two things this document tells you about life in America at the time it was written:

What evidence does the author use to support his arguments?

Think Carefully
Imagine you are answering an essay question about this time period and you recall this document. How might you use the document? That is, what argument could you make that would be supported by this document?

V.  Historiography

1."historiography" as "the study of the way history has been and is written--the history of historical writing... When you study 'historiography' you do not study the events of the past directly, but the changing interpretations of those events in the works of individual historians."

2.Historians ask questions about the past, which they try to answer on the basis of research.  To do this, historians must learn how to read for argument (how to know what another historian is arguing), how to ask historical questions, and how to find historical sources.  We will devote considerable attention to these critical skills.

3.Without quoting the author at all, you must explain the author's thesis (main point) in one or two paragraphs (max. length of one page).  Begin your paper by stating as clearly as possible the fundamental question that the author is trying to answer in the book.  Then explain as clearly as possible the main point the author makes in answering that question.

Remember, I want you to explain the thesis; don't simply describe the topic of the book.

VI.  H-O-H (Hands-On-History) Inner-Outer Circle Discussion

The objective of this type of activity is to make students comfortable with reading about, analyzing, and discussing intelligently historical issues/problems through the prism of primary sources [text, graphics of all types like maps, charts, data tables, political cartoons, political posters, art work, song lyrics, etc.]—the major investigative tools of the historian.

You will read a packet of primary source documents thoroughly before coming to class.  I want to see evidence throughout the documents that you have engaged in “active reading” of those documents.  By that I mean you must underline/highlight key passages that reflected the major points presented in those documents, that you write comments about what you read along the margins of the documents or pose questions that you wish to raise in the class discussion.  You should be having an “intellectual conversation” with those documents!

As you come into class for an H-O-H, pick up a discussion sheet on your right.  When the class is ready, I will give each of you a number [either 1 or 2].  I will then direct all students with the number I choose to go into the inner circle first.  They will begin the discussion.  Everyone else is in the outer circle group for this round.   Every student has the discussion sheet along with your document packet extensively annotated [as described above] on their desk with a pen.  All students will take notes on the key points made/questions posed/differing viewpoints, etc., in the left column of the sheet.  Any questions that you have about disagreements with another student’s point of view or new ideas/thoughts that are relevant to the discussion that pop into your head should be written in the right column on the discussion sheet.  I want to see evidence of your thinking process as you actively/passively [in the case of outer circle students] participate in the H-O-H discussions.

All students in the inner circle will engage in the actual discussion directly.  This activity should be 95% student-led.  I will pose the first question.  Students should address that question and start to engage in discussion amongst themselves, not looking to me to lead the inner circle group [I am there to correct a factual error, or referee a heated argument, or to pose another question when the discussion peters out].  Just jump right in.  If more than one student begins to speak at the same time, one should show deference to the other and let them speak first; then the other student will speak next before any other members of the group chime in.

·         Ask each other questions.

·         Pose alternative points of view. 

·         Disagree directly, but politely with each other. 

·         Support the idea/point just made by a student by presenting a fresh example. 

·         Make an interesting connection to another point made previously, or from something you read in the textbook, or heard in a prior class.

·         Identify a pattern you notice.

·         Make a well-reasoned prediction or hypothesis.

·         Go beyond the obviousà articulate the complex, the subtle, the nuanced.

Remember to make eye contact with the other members of the inner circle group [don’t look at me].  Acknowledge other students by name when addressing them or referring to something they had said. 

Those students initially in the outer circle should be quiet, listen to the discussion, write profusely on their discussion sheet [especially things that they feel should have been addressed by the inner circle discussion but were missed, or that they disagree with, or questions that they would like answered based on what was said in the initial discussions].  Perhaps they need some clarification of a point made by an inner circle member.

                After 15-17 minutes has passed, I will stop the discussion and turn to the outer circle.  This is their chance to make comments or ask questions of the inner circle.  I give them up to 5 minutes for that. 

                Once this phase of the activity is over, the groups exchange positions and the discussion continues with the first question of “round 2” posed by me. We will proceed in the same manner as we did for round 1.   At the end of the second round, you will hand in the discussion sheet on top of your document packet and place them on a pile on my desk.  Both will be evaluated in formulating your grade.

The point value for any Inner-Outer Circle H-O-H will depend on the amount of documents in the packet [the more there are to analyze, the larger the point value].  Your grade will be tabulated based on the following criteria:

·         The extent of your pre-discussion preparations à the quality of the “intellectual conversation” you have with your document packet [underlining/highlighting, quality of the notations in the margins, etc.]

·         The amount of and quality of your participation in the H-O-H discussion.

·         The depth of your discussion sheet notes, the quality of your thinking and analysis of the discussion [shown in the right column of the sheet], etc.

VII.  Supreme Court Analysis Sheets (Sheet available online)

Supreme Court Cases: (Year)

Background:

Issue(s):

Chief Justice:

Court Decision(s):

Legal Impact of Decision:

VIII.  DBQ Hints Criteria

The Document Based Question
130 to 150 points: Clearly developed and strong thesis; well structured, analytical, and responsive to all parts of the question
Sophisticated use of a healthy amount of documents
Substantial and relevant outside information; abstract and/or concrete; chronologically logical
May have a few insignificant errors

100 to 120 points: Consistent, well-developed thesis; clearly structured and written
Effective use of several documents
Significant and relevant outside information
May have minor errors

70 to 90 points: Partially developed but valid thesis; acceptable structure
May discuss only one part of the question
Use of some documents
Some relevant outside information
May contain errors, usually not major

40 to 60 points: Limited, confused, and poorly structured thesis
Shows little understanding of the question
Misinterprets, briefly cites or quotes documents
Little outside information or information that is inaccurate or irrelevant

10 to 30: No thesis; disorganized or poorly written
Shows inadequate or inaccurate understanding of the question
Poor, confused, or no use of the documents
Inappropriate or no outside information
Numerous errors, both major and minor

Helpful Hints

1. Efficiently read the question several times, marking it for dates, concepts, instructions, etc.

2. Formulate a tentative (but fairly clear) answer that you’ll pursue.

3. Carefully read each word of each document. While reading, write a “+” in the margin if it supports your “answer” and a “-” in the margin if it does not support your “answer.”

4. Underline parts of the documents that reveal passion or strong opinions. You may use those small passages in your essay as direct quotes.

5. Be ready, if needed, to paraphrase famous lines or “neutral” unemotional passages from historic documents.

6. Do your solid outline after you have carefully read and marked the documents.